The APRA Music Awards is an annual music awards event which recognises Australian songwriters. Each year, Australasian Performing Right Association Limited (APRA) gives an honour for the Licensee of the Year. This year that award went to the Australian Calisthenic Federation for being good musical citizens.
How is the APRA Award decided?
The Licensee of the Year Award, as assessed by APRA’s Board of Writer and Publisher Directors, is designed to reward licensee groups for good music citizenship. The recommended recipient has been selected against the criteria of consistent compliance and demonstrated support of music such as the presentation of local content or innovative use of music. Management recommended the Australian Calisthenic Federation Inc for the 2024 Licensee of the Year Award.
The Federation holds umbrella licences for the use of music in dance classes and associated eisteddfods. This umbrella arrangement creates administrative ease for the OneMusic team. The team enjoys a great working relationship, particularly with Board Director, Michelle Dowling. Under her remit, the licensing coverage has increased substantially.
Not only has this increased revenue, but Michelle actively promotes OneMusic to her members including the importance of ensuring that composers are paid when their music is used.
“As the National Peak Body for Calisthenics, we have worked with OneMusic to simplify the licensing process for our members. We collate the required information from our State Members regarding the number of students, studios, classes, concerts and competitions held in both regional and city locations in our member states, and we provide that information to OneMusic, who ensure we receive the required licenses. For our National Competitions, we work with both OneMusic and APRA AMCOS to ensure the event is appropriately licensed, including the music used at the venue and in the live stream”, said Michelle.
The importance of understanding music licensing
We asked ACF about the importance they placed on making sure that composers and music artists get paid properly for their work;
Calisthenics is a performance dance-sport that places a high value on the intellectual property of our choreographers and performers. Music is an integral part of our sport’s creative process, therefore it is extremely important that other creatives, such as composers, receive fair compensation for the use of their intellectual property. Crafting a single piece of music entails considerable work, involving composers, writers, producers, and others who contribute to its creation. It's essential that they are duly compensated for their music.
In our role as a National Sporting Organisation overseeing various music licensing aspects and advising our Member States on their events requiring licensed music, we've encountered challenges. The primary issue has revolved around ensuring that music is licensed appropriately for the specific type of event, whether it's an in-person competition in a theater, a promotional performance at a larger-scale event, or a live-streamed competition accessible globally. We have been able to navigate this by working closely with OneMusic to ensure correct licensing has been obtained, and we thank them for their efforts in assisting us. It is crucial to ensure licensees fully grasp the scope of their license to avoid any missteps.
As we embrace new technologies and easier access to a global music database, we must remain mindful of the origins of the music we use and ensure composers receive fair compensation. Music is intertwined with the core of calisthenics, and it is important to be conscientious about when and how we utilise others' work, ensuring proper licensing to support their livelihoods.
Music licensing in the fitness industry
It’s great to see sporting bodies such as ACF taking music licensing seriously and also being recognised for their efforts. If you use licensed music in your business and have questions around licensing, there is a wealth of information available at OneMusic’s website.
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